Identity, Ideology and Positioning in Discourses of Lifestyle Migration : The British in the Ariège

This book uniquely integrates discourse analysis and corpus linguistics to examine representations of the self and other within lifestyle migration. With a focus on British migrants living in the Ariège, south-west France, the study identifies common positioning strategies to demonstrate links between wider themes and local identity construction. Drawing on positioning theory and related analytical tools, Lawson is the first to integrate a corpus of British media texts with online and face to face discourse. The book presents a detailed identification of ideologies relating to being British in France, and the linguistic analysis demonstrates how this value system is both taken up and habitually manipulated within local discourse as a resource for negotiating a particular kind of identity. Using social theory to underpin the analysis of positioning strategies in interaction, the book enhances our understanding of the complex possibilities within processes of self-identification in a migration context. Michelle Lawson is an Honorary Associate and an Associate Lecturer for the Open University, UK. She completed her doctorate in Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University and is a member of the Lifestyle Migration research hub. She contributed to an edited volume: Practising the Good Life: Lifestyle Migration in Practices, edited by K. Torkington, I. David, & J. Sardinha Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 List of Figures 12 List of Tables 14 Chapter 1: Studying the British in the Ariège 15 Introduction 15 The Research Site of the Ariège 17 Investigating Identity Through Language 20 The Application of Positioning Theory in Lifestyle Migration 23 Positioning Tools as Methodology 26 Organisation of the Book 28 References 28 Chapter 2: Lifestyle Migration and the British in France 31 Conceptualising and Understanding Lifestyle Migration 32 Lifestyle Migration: An Individual, Reflexive Project? 34 Identity and Distinction Within British Lifestyle Migration 38 The Value of a Discourse-Centred Approach 40 References 41 Chapter 3: The British Media and the Brits in France 43 Building a Media Corpus and Extracting Keywords 44 Positioning the Reader: Analysis of Selected Keywords 46 Being British 46 Old Versus New, Residents Versus Migrants 47 Dreams and Nightmares of the New Life 52 Integration and the British in France 54 Media Representations of the British in France: A Discussion 58 References 60 Chapter 4: Life in the Ariège, in English: The Online Forum 63 Digital Communication and the Study of Migration 64 Undertaking a Study of Online Data 64 Community of Practice: A Theoretical Lens 68 The Discursive Construction of Rights and Duties Within Forum Practices 71 Identity and Wider Ideologies Within the Shared Repertoire: A Theme Analysis 74 Positioning and Ideologies: A Micro Analysis 78 Forum Member Positioning: A Discussion 80 References 81 Chapter 5: Migrant Identity and the ‘Other’ in Narrative Positioning 83 Identity and Positioning in Interview Discourse 84 Collecting and Analysing Interview Data 84 Agency, Habitus, and Adaptation in the Creative Project of Lifestyle Migration 88 A Reflexive Habitus: The Case Study of Elaine 91 An Englishman in France: Gerald’s Narrenfreiheit 95 ‘Not Many Like Us’: The Many Faces of the British ‘Other’ 97 Membership Categorisation of the ‘Other’ British 103 “We Don’t Want to Be That Foreign” 105 ‘Simple Folk’: The French ‘Other’ 108 Conclusion 112 References 113 Chapter 6: Negotiating the Moral Landscape of Lifestyle Migration: Identity Work and ‘Integration’ 115 Integration and the Language Problem 116 The Discursive Construction of ‘Integration’ 117 Freaks and Royalty: Insiders as Outsiders 120 Integrating the French? 125 The ‘Comfort Zone’ of the Online Forum 128 English in the Linguistic Landscape 131 Identity, Ideologies, and Interaction: A Summary 135 References 136 Chapter 7: Conclusion 137 Positioning, Identity, and Ideology: An Overview 137 Practice Theory Revisited 139 Class and Privilege Revisited 143 A Discourse of Lifestyle Migration? 144 Identity and Ideology: Some Final Thoughts 145 References 148 Glossary 149 Index 151 This book uniquely integrates discourse analysis and corpus linguistics to examine representations of the self and other within lifestyle migration. With a focus on British migrants living in the Arie+ђge, south-west France, the study identifies common positioning strategies to demonstrate links between wider themes and local identity construction. Drawing on positioning theory and related analytical tools, Lawson is the first to integrate a corpus of British media texts with online and face to face discourse. The book presents a detailed identification of ideologies relating to being British in France, and the linguistic analysis demonstrates how this value system is both taken up and habitually manipulated within local discourse as a resource for negotiating a particular kind of identity. Using social theory to underpin the analysis of positioning strategies in interaction, the book enhances our understanding of the complex possibilities within processes of self-identification in a migration context. Michelle Lawson is an Honorary Associate and an Associate Lecturer for the Open University, UK. She completed her doctorate in Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University and is a member of the Lifestyle Migration research hub. She contributed to an edited volume: Practising the Good Life: Lifestyle Migration in Practices, edited by K. Torkington, I. David, & J. Sardinha Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Studying the British in the Ariège....Pages 1-16 Lifestyle Migration and the British in France....Pages 17-28 The British Media and the Brits in France ....Pages 29-48 Life in the Ariège, in English: The Online Forum....Pages 49-68 Migrant Identity and the ‘Other’ in Narrative Positioning....Pages 69-100 Negotiating the Moral Landscape of Lifestyle Migration: Identity Work and ‘Integration’....Pages 101-122 Conclusion....Pages 123-134 Back Matter....Pages 135-140